by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

ATLANTA - Since injuring his leg in his team's 85-63 win Sunday over Duke in the Midwest Regional final, Louisville guard Kevin Ware has gone in and out of surgery, rejoined his teammates on campus, attended a press conference with local reporters, traveled to Atlanta for the Final Four and read the Top Ten list on the Late Show With David Letterman from the lobby of his team's hotel, the JW Marriott in nearby Buckhead.

Now he needs some rest.

Ware remained at the team hotel instead of attending Friday's media availability, Louisville sports information director Kenny Klein said Friday. Klein called Ware "just a little worn out" from the hectic experience of the last five days.

How worn out? Ware fell asleep at the table during a team dinner last night, Klein and teammate Chane Behanan said.

"He didn't even make it through our team meal last night," Klein said. "After he went through the city and then went to dinner, and then he just needed to go back because he was worn out. Our medical staff thought it was best for him to be in his room.

"We had a big media day the day before where he did an awful lot of things, and truly wanted to do it because of the outpouring of support for him. And then he just wanted to be with his teammates yesterday, went through the day and completed everything."

Klein said Ware will sit on the team bench during Saturday's national semifinal against Wichita State. "We do expect him to be at the game, sitting on the bench. We're just going to let him get some rest.

"We want him to have a good experience at the game tomorrow. He just needed rest," Klein said.

Behanan said Ware has handled this week "pretty fine."

"All these things happen, he's going on TV shows, meeting new people, talking with people on the phone he probably never thought he would," Behanan said. "Once he gets that one moment to relax and just get everything out on the ground, like at dinner, as Kenny was saying, he was just dozing off on the table.

"I think it really hit him there that 'you got famous and it's gonna be hard work.'"